Fixture for stripping metal ends from containers



Sept. 30, 1958 5. J. PESTA 6 FIXTURE FOR STRIPPING METAL ENDS FROM CONTAINERS Filed June '7. 1956 I8 Z8 26, Y?

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United States Patent FIXTURE FOR STRIPPING METAL ENDS FROM CONTAlNERS Stanley J. Pasta, Detroit, Mich.

Application June 7, 1956, Serial No. 590,074

1 Claim. (Cl. 813.3)

(Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), see. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon.

The invention relates to fixtures for removing the ends from containers and more specifically relates to removing metal ends from fibre containers.

In the art of packaging it has become common practice to package spare parts for vehicles, particularly military vehicles, in fibre containers enclosed at each end by metal caps. The caps are very tightly formed to the container resulting in a water-proof, moisture-proof seal which enables the spare parts to be safely stored for long periods of time without danger of corrosion or damage.

As the containers vary in size from one inch diameter to approximately eight inches in diameter and, as the metal ends fit the container so tightly that their removal usually damages the container, a satisfactory tool has not heretofore been developed which would successfully open all sizes of containers quickly and easily. Former methods of opening fibre containers utilized hack-saws, chisels, hammers, screw drivers, etc. which were crude, dangerous and universally unsatisfactory.

The invention contemplates a fixture which is attached to a wall or other stationary object and will rapidly and safely open fibre containers by first piercing the wall of the container and then prying the cap from the end thereof.

It is an object of the invention to produce a fixture which will rapidly and safely open a large variety of fibre containers.

Another object of the invention is to produce a fixture for opening fibre containers which is economically manufactured and will not damage the contents of the container.

An embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompany drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the fixture.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the fixture as attached to a wall.

The fixture 10 is comprised of a base plate 14 which may be attached to stationary supporting means. As disclosed, the gxture is mounted to a Wall 12 through an intermediate spacing block 16. Block 16 is not a necessary part of the invention but is used to provide clearance between the fixture and wall making the fixture more accessible. Holes 18 are formed in plate 14 to facilitate mounting the fixture 10 to block 16 and fasteners 20, which may be either nails, bolts or screws, are placed in holes 18 and driven or screwed into block 16 to effect the attachment.

A portion 22 extends at approximately right angles from base plate 14 and a lip 24 depends therefrom. The included angle between portion 22 and lip 24 is slightly less than ninety degrees such that lip 24 will project back toward the base plate 14. A series of V-shaped teeth 26 iatented Sept. 30, 1958 are formed in the end of lip 24 and are arranged in an arcuate pattern for a purpose later described.

A fulcrum bar 28 is attached to plate 14 below lip 24 by a weld, braze or other suitable fastening means. Bar 28 is of a length approximately equal to the diameter of the largest container to be opened by the fixture and thus will adequately support all sizes of containers to be opened. It is a feature of the invention that the distance from the outermost point of the fulcrum bar, point 30, to the base plate 14 be greater than the distance from teeth 26 to plate 14. This relationship protects the contents of the container during opening and also permits the container to be opened with a minimum of effort.

The operation of the fixture is as follows:

When it is desired to remove the cap 34 of a fibre container 32, the container is held in the operators hand and placed in the fixture 10, as shown in Fig. 2, with the cap 34 in contact with fulcrum bar 28 and teeth 26 engaging the side of the container under the metal cap 34. It will be noted that as the teeth 26 are arranged in an arcuate pattern the points of the teeth will conform to the shape of the container 32. The operator then lifts upwardly on container 32 causing teeth 26 to penetrate the wall of the container and break the seal of cap 34 adjacent the point where teeth 26 engaged container 32. After the wall of the container is punctured, the operator pushes downwardly on the free end of container 32 causing cap 34 to bear on fulcrum bar 28 and teeth 26 to engage the underside of cap 34; continued downward motion of the free end of the container causes the cap 34 to be stripped from the container, and the contents may be easily removed.

As the distance of teeth 26 from plate 14 is less than that of point 30, the abutment bar 28 will prevent the lip 24 from puncturing the container 32 so far back from cap 34 as to injure the contents thereof. Furthermore, this relationship causes the stripping action to begin immediately upon the downward motion of the free end of container 32.

It is thus seen that herein is described a fixture for removing the metal ends of fibre containers which is economical to manufacture, will accommodate a large variety of containers and is safe and easy to use.

As various modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A fixture for removing caps from fibre containers comprising a base plate fixed to a stationary support, a piercing lip carried by said base plate in spaced relation thereto, an arcuate, serrated puncturing edge formed on said piercing lip, an elongated cylindrical fulcrum bar attached to said base plate adjacent said piercing lip such that the distance from the fulcrum cap contact point to the base plate is greater than the distance from said puncturing edge to said base plate, whereby a fibre container cap may be removed by piercing the container with said puncturing edge and wedging said cap between said lip and said fulcrum bar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,880,985 Saunders Oct. 4, 1932 1,974,836 Schilling Sept. 25, 1934 2,578,379 Taylor Dec. 11, 1951 2,588,687 Ajouelo Mar. 11, 1952. 

